OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Military: United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol (Janesville-Waseca Squadron);
19?? to 19??

State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota State University Board (President);
05/1981 to 1994

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Janette "Jane" E. Christie (married on May 17, 1941; she died in 2000); Ruth Bartlett (married in 2001)Children: Three children: R. Newell Jr. and Alan J. (sons); Linda (daughter)Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

In 1979 he was elected by an evenly divided House to be the Speaker of the House.

He moved to Minnesota in April 1947.

He was a member of the Republican Party.

"Searle is a working Republican, member of the GOP county executive committee and will caucus with the conservatives." ("Know Your Minnesota Legislature: Rep. Rodney N. Searle." Minneapolis Star, Between November 1956-January 1957)

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge.

He was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Janesville, Minnesota.

Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.

"Later in life, Searle turned away from the Republican party he had long served, saying: 'My party has abandoned me.' In 2010 Searle was among a group of Republican former lawmakers who endorsed Independence Party candidate for governor Tom Horner, rather than the Republican-endorsed candidate, Tom Emmer. The state Republican party took action against those in the group, preventing them from serving as delegates to the state or national party conventions for two years." (Mankato Free Press obituary, January 5, 2014)

His funeral was held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Owatonna, Minnesota on January 10, 2014.

Leadership Position:Minority LeaderLeadership Notes: In May 1979, he was chosen to serve as Minority Leader by the Independent Republican caucus. This occurred because the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party gained majority status, ending the need for the leadership compromise that had been in effect.

Leadership Position:Speaker of the HouseLeadership Notes: After the November 1978 election, the House was evenly split along party lines (67 Republicans/67 Democrats). He was elected Speaker in 1979 as part of a compromise between the two parties. "The agreement gives the Republicans the speaker pro tem post as well as the speakership, 12 committee chairmanships and the chairmanships of all the divisions of both the appropriations and tax committees. They also get a one-vote majority on the tax divisions . . . . The agreement . . . gives the DFL the chairmanship of the three most powerful committees in the House - rules, taxes and appropriations. They also get a one-vote majority on the rules and tax committees, a Democrat floor leader and the same number of committee chairmanships as the Republicans." (Davies, Tom. "Minnesota House Elects Searle its Speaker." Minneapolis Tribune, January 9, 1979).

60th Legislative Session (1957-1958)

Party:Nonpartisan Election-Conservative CaucusParty Notes: "Searle is a working Republican, member of the GOP county executive committee and will caucus with the conservatives." ("Know Your Minnesota Legislature: Rep. Rodney N. Searle." Minneapolis Star, Between November 1956-January 1957)